compliance · 4 min read

Care and fibre labels: what each market requires

A missing or wrong label is one of the cheapest mistakes to make and one of the most expensive to fix, because it is usually discovered at the border or by a customer.

By Weft Bridge · Reviewed by our Guangzhou sourcing team · Updated 2026-11

The three things most markets require

Fibre composition, with percentages, in descending order.
Country of origin.
Care instructions — mandatory in the US, and effectively expected in the EU and UK.

Regional differences

Market	Fibre content	Care	Notes
EU	Mandatory (Reg. 1007/2011)	Symbols, voluntary but expected	Language of the member state
US	Mandatory (FTC)	Mandatory (16 CFR 423)	Country of origin required
UK	Mandatory	Expected	Post-Brexit rules mirror the EU

Where labels go wrong

Fibre percentages that do not add up to 100.
“Cotton blend” without the percentage.
Care instructions that do not match the actual finishing.
Trims and linings omitted from the composition.
Symbols used without the words that the market requires.

FAQ

Can care symbols replace words?

In the EU, symbols are accepted; in the US, written instructions are required. If you sell in both, use words plus symbols.

Who is responsible for the label?

The brand placing the product on the market. The factory prints what you specify.